Medicine & Manicures

“C” is for Celebration

Hi, friends!! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend (how about them Panthers?!?). As far as Mondays go, this one’s not so bad. In case you missed my Instagram post or my snaps on Friday (khendley), I’m happy thrilled to report that… 


I PASSED MY BOARDS!!!

Yayyy!! You can imagine my relief… now I can finally B.R.E.A.T.H.E! I have been a stressed out mess this past week which honeslty felt like the longest week of my life. The small group of my class that took the exam in late December got their results after only 4 days so after knowing that bit of info, I was checking my email like a crazy person. The suspense!! I waited 8 days for my results and when I got that email – gulp – I felt my stomach drop. That is, until I saw this!

AHHHH!!!!!!

Just to give you a little background info, when you graduate from PA school you officially become a physician assistant. However, you cannot work until you pass the boards. That’s where the “C” in PA-C comes in. It stands for certified, meaning that you have passed the national certification exam. Three letters that I am so thrilled to write after my name. 

I have to tell you, the PANCE was THE hardest test I’ve ever taken. Yes, I knew it would be hard but yikes! I was definitely worried that I didn’t pass. I did well in school and got good scores on my practice tests but when I actually got in the test center, I freaked out a little bit. I couldn’t help but think, “If I fail this thing, I can’t work for 3 months.” Never have I had so much riding on one test, one 5-hour long, 300-question test. But that’s just how it goes with this kind of profession. 

Anyways… Moving on! All I can say is I passed and I’m glad it’s over. I won’t have to do this again until 10 years from now when I recertify. Last week that was ALL I thought about but now I can officially move on to this next chapter of my life. Of course Ryan & I had to celebrate- he made reservations at Aria, one of my favorite Italian restaurants and we had some delicious food along with live music. It was perfect!

Not only did I find out my test results on Friday, but also got a job offer in dermatology!! You may remember that this was my favorite rotation in school and has been my #1 choice of field to get into. I haven’t officially signed my contract yet but we’re in the negotiation stage. I just can’t believe how things are all coming together. All the studying, hard work, stress, anxiety, and prayers have finally payed off. Now, all I have to do is wait for my medical license to come in and I can finally start working (hopefully in the beginning of February). Sorry this post is super long BUT I just wanted to say that I have loved sharing my PA school experiences with you guys and thanks for always being there to support and encourage me. Cheers!!


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Comments

  5. Hannah says

    Congrats – that is so amazing! What an awesome reason to celebrate! I totally feel your stress over it. I take the bar this summer and already have anxieties about passing. Sadly, we have to wait 3 months for the results, so I will probably have a nervous breakdown!

    Reply

  6. Meg Taylor says

    I've seen the same PA-C at my dermatologist office for literally ten years, and I love her!! Congratulations on passing and the job – so much excitement. So glad you got to celebrate – Aria looks amazing!

    Reply

  35. Martina Igberaese says

    Congratulations!!! When I saw this I started smiling like it was my good news. I have loved reading about your journey, as I aspire to become a PA also. I'm about to apply to school this year and can't wait to begin my journey.

    Reply

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